What stands out worked out from the figures below

Madison has the most homeowners (90.4%).

Madison Center has the most expensive homes ($842k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Madison	Madison Center
People
Population	17,616Highest	1,981Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-1.7% CT: +0.9%
Median age	51.9±1.9Lowest 26% above CT	60.4±6.3Highest 47% above CT
Kids under 18	18.1%±2.2Highest CT: 20.2%	12.4%±4.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Madison and Madison Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5%	35.5%±5.5Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	72.4%Lowest CT: 42.5%	73.3%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.5Lowest CT: 7.1%	7.2%±5.5Highest CT: 7.1%
	Madison Center and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$167,442±$16kLowest 75% above CT	$178,194±$59kHighest 86% above CT
	Madison Center and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$583,900±$30kLowest 59% above CT	$841,800±$105kHighest 129% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,025±$741Highest 36% above CT	$1,914±$1kLowest 29% above CT
	Madison and Madison Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,843Lowest 33% above CT	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44%±12.3Highest CT: 52.6%	41.6%±16.1Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Madison and Madison Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.6%Lowest CT: 10%	8.1%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.4%Highest CT: 66.5%	61.2%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT	1967Lowest same as CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 12% above CT	25 minLowest 5% below CT
Work from home	30.2%±5.3Highest CT: 16%	27.2%±10.1Lowest CT: 16%
	Madison and Madison Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#7 of 149 in CT	—
School district	Madison School District	—
High school in town	Daniel Hand High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.